Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-01-28
AT BENTS OLD FORT.

: hAs:D]1EElSO VLU# FVhl.}e4 ~.
$ For more than 500 long, toilsome
miles, from the bustling town OF West
port on the Missouri to the royal city
OF New Spain, stretched to the old
Sante Fe trail. At it's initial point on
the great muddy river there was usu-
ally q gathering of men, cattle, and
wagons, for the making up of the nu-
merous trains soon to be dotted
along the whole length, steadily march
ing westward Or resting at Council
Grove, Pawne Fork, the Cimarron
Crossing, or Las Vegas. Now, however,
all was strangely quiet at Westport
and all along the trail. No long pro-
cessions of whlte-topped wagons light
ed up the yellowish green buffalo grass;
no crack of whip or merry
wagoner's song sounded along
the banks Of the river; no smoke or
camp fire rose in the clear air Agreat
change had come over the old Santa
Fe trail, for it was July. 1846, and
war with Mexico had been declared,
and waiting in New Spain were not ca
ger buyers OF merchandise, but war
like parties ready, as reported, to well
come the Gringos with bloody hands
to hospitab]e graves" Not wholly
deserted, however, by any means was
the great route along the tortuous
course of the Arkansas; for on it were
marching the finest "Army of the
West" and General Stephen Kearney.
Starting from Fort Leavenworth and
making their way with much difficulty
over the rough country between that
point and the trail, they-the staff,
the regulars Infantry, dragons and
two batteries) and the famed First
regiment OF Missouri Cavalry-had
passed Pawree fork, and were concen-
trAting on a point not far from the
junction OF the Timpas river with the
Arkansas. Near this point. too, and
on the left bank, was the tort owned
by, and named for one of the family
OF Bent, those celebrated frontiers.
men and trappers. It was a commo-
dious structure OF abode, with large
central enclosure and rude accommo-
datlOnS for man and beast.
It was nearly sunset on or near the
2Sth day OF July when a detachment
of Doniphan's regiment, with head.
quarters staff, halted for the night be-
You'd the ''big TIMBER" or grove OF
large cottonwood trees, where the
valley opens out and the river banks
slope gently down to it, aday's march
east OF the fort. A group OF officers
gathered round the camp fire and sat
waiting for their supper. Ere lone
one Of the surgeons joined them, light.
ing his pipe as he took his seat.
"Aow are the sick men, doctor?''
asked the Major.
'"The engineer officer is better, but
still very weak" replied the surgeon
the Lieutenant OF cavalry is worse
and fear he cannot last long"
"Poor fellow" calculated the Major
He is a good and brave man. 1t is
hard for him to die here, and OF q
miserable fever, before a shot has
been fired. More than one heart viii
ache in St. Louis when they get the
news OF his ending. Can nothing be
done for him?"
Nothing" said the doctor. 'He
is quite unconscious, and will probably
pass quietly away during the night
without coming to himself"
So it was; and at sunset next day
the Pawnees and Comanches loungine
about the entrance to Bent's fort
heard the volleys OF the firing party
and then saw the little party march
ing at q rapid pace back to the camp
Outside, and close under the walls o.
the fort, at the northwest corner, and
among the graves OF few traders
trappers, and also ruftians, who had
"died with both their boots on
was @ simple headboard placed, on
W hich was inscribed:
LEONARD HAML1N,
Lieutenant First Missouri Cavalry.
Born in st. Louis, Aug. 10, 1921.
Died near Bent's Fort, July 80, '46.
Then on went the Army of the West
ON to Las Vegas, Santa Fe, Old
Mexico and California-to do famous
deeds OF valor; to bring new glory tc
the starry flag and to wrest from the
foeman princely addition to the
territory of the United States
Eastward again went no army
with banners, no dragons with
lance and saber, no batteries with
bright field pieces and heavy caissons
There went only one mana courier
who rode like the wind, changing his
horse at fpquent intervals and dodg
ing the Sioux and the Osages as he
covered league after league of long
route. At last he galloped, safe and
sound, into Westport and, the river
being high, was not detained ON the
steamer. When he arrived at St. Louis
the news he brought spread rapidly
and people stopped to discuss it at
street corners, and the papers, under
flaming headlines told how the gallant
little Army of the West, with SC
many OF the sons of Missouri enrolled
therein, had gone gallantly on to the
border. Only in two houses were
three striker hearts and sore distress
and weeping for him who would never
return, but lay sleeping under the
walls of Bent's fort. A father ap.
peared at his post of duty with the
haggard look of ono who has
grown suddenly older by years.
mother sat speeches. and
with streaming eyes at a western
window, and pretty Ruth Chandreu,
on whose finger shone the diamond Of
an engagement ring, forsook society,
and. clad in the somber garments o.
woe, gave herself wholly to works o.
charity and mercy.
The years rolled on, and time with
healing touch, soothed the suffering
and comforted the mourning.